Articles by Mike Rhodes

Upcoming School Year Calls for Healthy Habits  

By Tim Harms, American Heart Association— INDIANAPOLIS— School bells are ringing for many children in Indiana. The new school year is an exciting time for students and educators and perfect for refocusing and reprioritizing healthy habits. Celebrating its 100th year of lifesaving work, the American Heart Association says it is important to develop healthy habits at a young age given that the early years play a vital role in the development of health-related behaviors that carry into adolescence and adulthood….

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Indiana Black Expo Muncie Chapter Honors African American Influencers

By WaTasha Barnes Griffin— MUNCIE, IN—Indiana Black Expo Muncie Chapter Celebrated Culture, Heritage, and Community and honored contributors to African American culture, progress and achievement in Muncie-Delaware County at the Ivy Tech John and Janice Fisher Building on Thursday, July 18, 2024 during its 29th Annual Corporate Luncheon. The annual luncheon was the kick-off to the Indiana Black Expo Muncie Chapter’s annual Summer Celebration at Heekin Park, Saturday, July 19th-Sunday, July 21, 2024. This year’s theme was Educate. Empower. Elevate….


Applications for Backyard Habitat Certification Are Due July 31

Deadline nearing for submissions to Red-tail’s Growing Home™ Habitat Certification program By JoAnna Darda, Outreach Coordinator, Red-tail Land Conservancy— MUNCIE, IN – Red-tail Land Conservancy seeks individuals and organizations from east central Indiana who have naturally landscaped yards to apply for Growing Home™ Habitat Certification before the certification submission deadline on July 31. Growing Home™ is an award-winning backyard habitat program for east central Indiana from Red-tail Land Conservancy. The program is designed to empower community members to rethink how…


Muncie Program Wins Servaas Award and Inspires Love of Places

Indiana Landmarks honors CAP Center for Historic Preservation in Muncie for their preservation work By Indiana Landmarks— MUNCIE, IN—Recruiting the next generation to care about historic places and community heritage can require outside-the-box thinking. In Muncie, children ages 9-12 sculpted building façades in clay, trained camera lenses on column capitals, and practiced building landmarks of their own as part of the Time Travelers program, a workshop series organized by the Ball State CAP Center for Historic Preservation. Through scavenger hunts…


‘Fire Up DWNTWN’ Back and Better for Third Year

By Vicki Veach— MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Downtown Development Partnership (MDDP), an organization connecting our community and creating a vibrant downtown, announced today initial plans for its third “Fire Up DWNTWN,” a street festival that has drawn over 10,000 people to the heart of the city in each of its last two celebrations. The event, sponsored by Ivy Tech Muncie, will be held from 1pm to 10pm, Saturday September 21st. The event will feature special shape hot-air balloons, a variety of food…


Experience the Magic of Faeries, Sprites, & Lights at Minnetrista

By Brea Cunningham— MUNCIE, IN—Once upon a time, a little girl named Elisabeth “Betty” Ball lived in the Oakhurst home. She discovered faeries living among the trees and flowers. Betty wore her faerie attire, played games, danced, and skipped through the grass with her magical friends. As a tribute to Betty and her unshakable belief in faeries, thousands of faeries fly into Oakhurst Gardens each year for the enchanted Faeries, Sprites, & Lights at Minnetrista. During this multi-day event, children…


17th Annual Chamber/United Way Golf Classic Results Announced 

 By Kim Williams—  ANDERSON, IN—The 17th Annual Heart of Indiana United Way/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic, presented by Community Hospital Anderson, raised over $54,000 on July 19 at Anderson Country Club. 40 teams along with more than 30 sponsors and many volunteers helped to make the day a great success. Proceeds from the Golf Classic benefit local programs supported by Heart of Indiana United Way and the Madison County Chamber that create equitable opportunities and help individuals, families…


Cybercrime is a Growing Threat Indiana Communities Need to Address

By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation— MUNCIE, IN – The threats we face in the digital world are evolving at a frightening pace. From phishing schemes and ransomware attacks to identity theft and deepfake impersonations, the list of cyber threats keeps expanding. As technology advances—and the internet becomes ever more integrated into our daily lives—the security of our information and systems has never been more critical. From multinational corporations to small rural school districts, data breaches and malicious cyberattacks…


Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner to Discuss Leadership at Upcoming Coffee Talk

By Arrick Garringer— MUNCIE, IN – Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner will lead a discussion on leadership at Shafer Leadership Academy’s Coffee Talk event titled “In Pursuit of Leadership” on July 31, 2024. The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Innovation Connector, located at 1208 W White River Blvd. Sheriff Skinner, with nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience, will share insights on leadership styles, the importance of detail orientation, and the unique role…


Stephanie Michaels is New Director of Programming at Cornerstone Center for the Arts

By Barbara Schafer, Board Member— MUNCIE, IN—Cornerstone Center for the Arts is thrilled to announce the appointment of Stephanie Michaels as the new Director of Programming. Stephanie will bring a fresh perspective, dynamic energy, and experience to Cornerstone. This marks an exciting new chapter as Cornerstone continues to expand its reach and impact in the Muncie community. Stephanie is a Ball State University graduate in anthropology and holds a masters in museum studies from IUPUI. As a student she was…